Animal-trap.



1. a. FIORETTA.

ANIMAL TRAP. APPLICATION FILED IUNE 2. 9H.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

New York city,yin the county of JOHN B. FIORETTA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

Application filed June 8, 1816. Serial No. 101.406.

. 7 '0 all whom it may camera:

13. FIORET'IA, residin at New \ork, State of New ork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal- Traps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to animal traps, and has particular reference to a trap for catching mice or rats.

The object of the invention is to provide a practical device for entrapping animals in numbers, that is, one which will be automatically reset after an animal has been caught. In 0 crating a trap of this type, I have arrange the various parts in such cooperative relation that the action which entraps one animal and positively locks the entrance-way against return, also resets the mechanism for the entrance of the next animal.

Thus, more particularly, my invention consists in the construction of a trap in which an inclosure or pound is given entrance throu h a series of passages in which rocking trea ways are tipped by the animal passing thercover in succession, the first treadway being locked in the tipped position and released from the t'ipped position by the action of the succeeding treadway, so that an animal which has passed over the first treadway will not be permitted to return thereover and escape but must continue over the next treadway to find its way into the ound in order to escape from the passage.

With the above object and others in view, which will hereinafter appear, my invention will be fully set forth and described, referrinIg to the accompanying drawings.

n the drawings igure 1 is a lan view of the device having the cover part y broken away. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 8-3 of Fi 2, and Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 Be it known hat I, Joim a citizen of the United States,

Ref erring more particularly to said drawings, 1 represents a ca e or housing, preferably rectangular in p an view, and which may have one or more of its walls barred as indicated at 2 to provide a cagelike structure. Preferably, the device is constructed wholly of metallic sheet material, but obviously may be constructed of wood or suitable material. The housing l is provided at one end with a partition ll winch extends entirely across the structure and provides a passageway 4. Leading transversely from the opposite hire of the partition 3 and extending across the housing to a point short of the barred side 2, is a partition 5, the partitions 3 and 5 providing an inclosure or pound (3. At one end, the passageway is provided with an opening 7 wlnch forms the entrance to the passageway. At its opposite end the passageway 4 connects with the passageway 8 formed by the partition 5 through an opening 9, formed in the partition 3. The opening 9 does not extend entirely to the top of the cage, but terminates in the partition 2' at a short distance above the top. The opposite end of the passageway 8 connnunicates by a similar opening 10 with the pound 6. \Vithin the passageway 4 is mounted a tilting treadway 11, which consists of an elongated strip extending from the entrance 7 to the point adjacent the opening 9, the width of the strip being such that there is just enough clearance upon either side for the treadway to freely rock in the passageway. The treadway 11 is provided with trunnions upon opposite sides which have hearings in the adjacent wall of the housing and in the partition 3, the trunnions 12 being so disposed that the distance between the trunnions and the end 13 of the treadway is of just suiliciently greater length than the distance between the trunnions 12 and the opposite end of the treadway to cause the end 13 to remain lowered under ordinary conditions. Mounted upon the side of the partition 3 and overhanging the inner end of the treadway 11 is a latch l-l. Said latch is pivoted near the upper edge of the partition 3, and consists of a depending shank 15 which carries the lug 16, said lug being adapted to engage over the end of the treadway 11 when the latter is depressed. The upper face of the lug 16 is beveled as at 17 so that the end of the treadway 11 will ride thereover, swinging the shank 15 to one side until the end of the treadway has passed under the lug 16. The upper end of the latch 14 is enlarged into an elongated weight 18 which overhangs the door 9 and extends a short distance below the upper edge of the latter, for the purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Ill)

latch 14 when said end The passageway 8 is wholly occupied by a treadway 19, which is mounted upon the trunnions 20, having bearin s in tie partition 5 and the adjacent wa l of the housing. The end 21 of the treadway 19 extends through the doorway 9, and is adapted to strike below the weighted end 18 of the 21 is elevated, the action being such that when the weight 18 is elevated, the lug 16 is removed from the end .of the treadway 11, so that the latter may assume its normal position, that is with the heavy end 13 depressed opposite the entrance doorway 7. The end 21 of the treadway-H's heavier than the opposite end, so that said end 21 is normally the lower one of the treadway.

The cover section 22 is )rovided with two apertures 23 and 2- which appear respectively above the normally elevated ends of the treadways 11 and 19. Within each aperture is fitted a basket .25 of suitably meshed material, in which bait is to he placed in order to attract the animals into the ea c. Lids '26 hinged to the apertures and (it apted to be secured by turn buttons 27 give access to the baskets through the top of the cover 22 and permit the baskets to be secured against me estation from the outside. A handle 28 secured to the top of the cover provides a means for transporting the device, and a door 29 in one of the walls of the cage provides a means for removing therefrom the captured animals.

In the operation of in device, the device is set by placin a fOOt of difi'erent character in each 0 the baskets 25. As above stated, the ends 18 and 21 of the treadways 11 and 19 respectively are depressed when the device is ready for the entrance of an animal. The animal enters the passageway 4 through the opening 7, and mounts the treadway 11 to secure the food from the basket 25 which overhangs the elevated end of the treadway. After passing the trunnioned ortion of the treadway, the upper end of t 1e latter is depressed by the weight of the animal until it is locked below the lug 16 of the latch 14. The end 13 is thus elevated above the level of the door 7, and the animal is revented from retracing its steps. The on y means of egress from the -tion, a pound inc passageway 4, therefore, is through the doorway 9 and up the inclined treathvay 19 at theupper end of which is located the other basket 25 containin the difi'erent kind of food. The animal ma (ing its way up the treadwa 19 over-balances the latter in due time an is forced to make his way through the passa eway 10, the heavier end 21 of the treat way 19 striking against the weighted end 18 of the latch 14; when the treadway 19 is overbalanced, so that the lug 16 is lifted from engagement with the treadway 11 which then assumes its normal )osition with the weighted end 13 lowered in front of the doorway 7. This action not only resets the treadway 11 for the entrance of the next animal, but eliminates any possibility of the entrap ed animal making its way backwardly tirough the doorway 9 and the passage -l. At a point adjacent the opening '24, and over the elevated end of the treadway 1.) is a small opening 30, through which a hat-pin or other suitable instrument may be inserted to depress the treadway so that its opposite end may lift the latch 14 to release the treadway 11 in cases when the latter has been accidentally locked.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is z- An animal trap comprising in combinaosure, passageways giving access to said inclosure, a plurality of treadways pivoted in said passageways to rock longitudinally therein, said treadways having their forward ends weighted to assume normally depressed aositions, means for locking the first trea way in' the opposite position when an animal has passed thereover, said locking means consisting of a latch element adapted to engage over the first treadway and an angular wei hted arm extended into the pathway of tie second treadway to be lifted to free the first treadway, and bait holding means above the normally elevated end of each treadway.

In testimony whereof, I allix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. FIORETTA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for Me cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner 01' Patents. Washington, D. 0." 

